Loading for K Kale 6.5x55
Only bullets available locally are Hornady 140 gr. A-Max which states "for 7.5 twist rate" on box.A recipe I found for this bullet using 46 gr. of reloder 22 got excellent accuracy in m38 mauser but gave no muzzle velocity.Can I load this down 10% or more and get hunting accuracy?I don't know the twist in my rifle.It's a K Kale 43.Thanks
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tocamoha,
Take a cleaning rod with a good bearing typ handle. Put a patch on a jag insert slightly into chamber/bore and mark the top center. Also mark a point on the rod 12" or more back from the action. Push the patch slowly through the bore making sure the rod is rotating. When it rotates back to where the Top center is marked, mark it in the same place you did the first time. Measure the two points. If it is 8-8.5" you easily have enough twist to stabilize 140 gr. A-max bullets.0 -
tocamoha,
Have you fired this rifle yet?
The load you listed is a standard generic 140 gr. load from Alliant for the Re-22 powder. They list 2700 FPS. as a muzzle velocity from a 24" barrel and a pinch below the Swedish Mauser operating pressure of 55,000 PSI. My rifle with this load runs a little faster but variances are common between rifles, barrels and powder lots. Dropping down 10% will give you a loss of approximately 300 FPS and a low operating pressure. Accuracy is determined by testing not supposition.
If your barrel is a Swedish Mauser takeoff, the twist can run between 7.5" to 7.8" but if it's a commercial barrel all bets are off and you really need to measure it as stated above. The 140 gr. AMAX will be stable as long as you're in the 1:8.5" area. It's a superb bullet, at the top of my favorite list in this weight class. It's only surpassed by the Lapua, Berger, Norma and JLK VLD bullets which cost more and in the case of the JLKs may not be instantly available so they have to be ordered.
Establish a good load work up system and get to work! Enjoy the process!
Best.0 -
quote:Originally posted by nononsense
tocamoha,
Have you fired this rifle yet?
The load you listed is a standard generic 140 gr. load from Alliant for the Re-22 powder. They list 2700 FPS. as a muzzle velocity from a 24" barrel and a pinch below the Swedish Mauser operating pressure of 55,000 PSI. My rifle with this load runs a little faster but variances are common between rifles, barrels and powder lots. Dropping down 10% will give you a loss of approximately 300 FPS and a low operating pressure. Accuracy is determined by testing not supposition.
If your barrel is a Swedish Mauser takeoff, the twist can run between 7.5" to 7.8" but if it's a commercial barrel all bets are off and you really need to measure it as stated above. The 140 gr. AMAX will be stable as long as you're in the 1:8.5" area. It's a superb bullet, at the top of my favorite list in this weight class. It's only surpassed by the Lapua, Berger, Norma and JLK VLD bullets which cost more and in the case of the JLKs may not be instantly available so they have to be ordered.
Establish a good load work up system and get to work! Enjoy the process!
Best.
nononsense, Not to get off the topic, but can you offer some insight on the JLK VLD bullets, I have heard they are exceptional bullets, but that is it, no details. Where can I find them? Are they on par with Berger's, better, worse?0 -
jtmarine0831,
Here is the link to Swampwork's website for the JLK bullets:
http://www.swampworks.com/jlk/
It has a lot of the information you might need. If not e-mail me or post again and I'll add what I can from personal experience.
"Are they on par with Berger's, better, worse?"
They are slightly better than the Bergers at the longer ranges. The biggest difference is that the Bergers are made in bulk on automatic machines while the JLK bullets are made one at a time by hand. The cost difference as Steve points out in a discussion on his website, is negligible when compared to the other costs associated with shooting. You may have to plan a little further ahead when ordering from these one man shops as they get behind when the competition orders start to come in.
Custom bullets, to a certain point, are well worth the investment if you have the need for the performance. Some of the newer machine turned Custom Long Range bullets are approaching the excessive and some of us are starting to rebel. I thought $2.00/bullet was acceptable for certain designs and special competitions until the prices started to edge towards $4.00/bullet from a couple of the makers. I don't buy those anymore because I refuse to afford $320.00 in bullets per Match.
Best.0 -
Well let me ask the obvious first. I ask this because the type of receiver shouldn't matter to the bullet weight and twist, but you mentioned it, leading me to wonder if you know the caliber.
K.Kale is a turkish Mauser. Has it been re barreled? Otherwise it should be in the original 8X57 and while shooting 6.5X55 out of it wouldn't likely HURT it it sure wouldn't hit anything.0 -
Jonk,
It must have been rebarreled because it is 6.5 x55.I'm new to Mausers and bought it as a sporterized Turkish Swede on GB.It has a stepped barrel"I guess that's what you call it",a slotted rail for scope rings,a thumb safety and synthetic stock.I put a Pentax Gameseeker on it and got some Privi Partizan ammo.It shoots good so I'm going to learn about reloading for it.0
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